In the widespread use of metal detecting devices for numerous applications, especially the more recent applications of metal detectors in security systems for monitoring airline passengers to determine the presence of concealed weapons, there exists a need to improve current systems to assure reliable, rapid screening of the subjects of interest. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,564 issued Aug. 22, 1972, entitled "Multiple Frequency Magnetic Field Technique for Differentiating Between Classes of Metal Objects", filed Oct. 8, 1970, by G. T. Mallick, R. C. Miller and W. J. Carr, Jr. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed a weapon detector utilizing a passenger walk-through passageway comprising x, y and z coil elements positioned in the top and bottom walls, the two side walls and around the entrance and exit openings of the passageway. One disadvantage of this multiple coil arrangement is that the coil positioned in the bottom of the passageway is sensitive to the metal shank portion of the shoes worn by individuals passing through the passageway. Furthermore, while the coil arrangement in the above-identified U.S. Patent provides coupling with concealed weapons substantially regardless of orientation of the weapons, the requirements for a plurality of individual coils positioned at various locations in the passageway results in a relatively complex coil arrangement.